Simple and Clean
by Crystal Jaganshi
Summary: Roy tells Riza his decision to take down the Furher and she contemplates his decision and she makes one of her own. ONESHOT


Simple and Clean

Riza couldn't believe her ears. She stared at his round handsome face right into his eyes, which were like pools of black ink. She put her hand to her pulsing forehead, afraid that it would split open if she didn't. Her heart beat was beating as fast as a metronome set at 250. She opened her mouth but her words became swirled together into a ball and choked her voice box. She saw him open his mouth again and for the first time in her life, she was afraid of what he was going to say.

"Riza, I'll say it again. I'm going to take down the Furher."

She didn't say anything but her eyes grew wide as his words sunk in. She put a hand to her face and looked at the small table beside the couch she was sitting on, avoiding his eyes. Her head pulsed harder, faster as the events that had been occurring flashed through her head like a video. The Ishbalan War, admittance of Edward as a state alchemist, the Lab 5 incident, Scar, Maes's death, the Homunculi, Roy being sent to the Northern front to start another pointless war.

_I've been having these weird thoughts lately._

Her mind screamed as she tried to make sense of all the events. How had it come to this? It seemed just like yesterday she was first assigned to Major Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist. When had their lives become so deeply involved in this mess?

_Like, is any of this for real? Or not? _

She shook her head in distress and looked at him again. His face was stone and his eyes had become glazed over, but she knew he wasn't this calm on the inside. Inside she knew he was burning a fever of 451 degrees Fahrenheit. She hung her head and grasped her hair at her skull, not knowing how to react. She felt his warm, smooth hand rest gently on her cold, clammy one. She let him guide her hand out of her hair and she pulled the other hand out and tucked her hair behind her ear. She looked up slightly but not at him. She felt his other hand take her free one and he rubbed them gently with his thumbs. He kissed them lightly and got up and walked into his kitchen. She looked at her hands and as the warmth from his lips slowly faded, Riza wanted to cry.

_You're giving me too many things _

_Lately you're all I need_

_You smiled at me and said,_

She wanted to cry for Maes, for Gracia, for the Elrics, for Winry, for the guys at the office, for Black Hayate, for Roy, and most of all, for her heart. She had loved Roy ever since she saw him toss and turn at night in distress during the Ishbalan war but did she love him enough to want to rebel against the country? She remembered the first time she woke him from one of his nightmares on the battle field. That was when she promised him she would take care of him, that she would protect him from anything and everything. She didn't know what made her say those words that night but they changed her life forever. Her thoughts drifted to another time during the height of the war. Roy would have been killed during a battle if she hadn't tripped him, causing him to fall just before the bullets hit him. She remembered when she yelled at him furiously later for a having simple and easy weapon and letting it get worn, he told her that it was never easy to put the gloves on.

_Don't get me wrong I love you_

_But does that mean I have to meet your father?_

_When we are older you will understand_

_What I meant when I said "No,_

_I don't think life is quite that simple."_

She turned around and looked at the man she loved. He was setting the teakettle on the stove and he lit the gas and snapped his fingers. The flame lit up and he grabbed a notebook and a pen and flipped towards the middle and he leaned up against the counter. He began to sketch lines but then scribble them out. He sighed and continued to sketch, glancing at the kettle every now and then, waiting for it to whistle. Riza's heart tried to find its way into her nervous system and take control of her legs to walk over to him. She wanted to be near him, she wanted him to hold her, she wanted him to tell her that he would need her forever. But isn't that why she was following him? To be near him, to protect him, to shelter him from his horrors of the past? Isn't that what she's always done? He glanced over at her and a faint blush warmed her cheeks as he stared into her eyes. Could he be searching into her soul? Was it possible to see someone's soul through their eyes, just like in the romance novels she read? His visage became curious and he cocked his head, puzzled just like her heart. Yes, she decided, it was possible.

_When you walk away_

_You don't hear me say please_

_Oh baby, don't go_

_Simple and clean is the way you're making me feel tonight_

_It's hard to let it go _

Riza smiled at him and gazed at him lovingly. He was surprised by the look on her face and blushed. She put her hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle. If the boys at work could see him now! The great Roy Mustang blushing! She couldn't ever remember a time when he had blushed and she was grateful that she was the one to see it. He opened his mouth to say something but the teakettle finally whistled. He set his sketch book and pencil down as he opened a cabinet and began rummaging around. She watched him quietly when a thought struck her. How does he feel about me? Does he feel the same way? Her loving mood was quickly swept away by more questions that plagued her mind. Does he think I'm weird because I follow him unrelentlessly? Am I only a pawn to him in his large chess game? She jumped at the hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Roy smiling softly at her, his eyes heavy. He held out a mug to her and she gently took it from him, their fingers touching briefly and her heart screamed for more of his warmth as she pulled away slowly.

_The daily things that keep us all busy_

_Are confusing me_

_That's when you came to me and said,_

She took small sips in silence, unsure of what to say or do anymore. Riza was cheered a little bit by her favorite lemon tea he made her and caused her to take another sip and glance up at her superior. His lips hadn't touched the hot, soothing liquid and his hands trembled as he stared at the cup, lost in his own world. Was he thinking about Ishbal? Or the death of Maes? Riza longed to know what was running through his mind. Shouldn't she know already though? That's what the men around her would say. She heard them once in the hallway. Don't you know? The Lieutenant loves the Colonel. How do you know? Why else would she watch his back at every turn? Yes, yes she did love her Colonel. She loved him very, very much. She got jealous every time he ranted about a date and became furious with herself knowing that if the miniskirt law got passed (heaven forbid) she would wear one, just for him with out protest. She studied his trembling hands again and she automatically reached out to hold them, to keep them steady. Yes, this is what she did. She held him steady and together like glue on a mask. But wait, that's it. Her eyes widened when she realized that she had been over analyzing the situation the entire time. She loved him and because of it, she wanted to keep him safe, keep him whole. It didn't matter if he rejected her. Yes she would be hurt but her promise to him was more important and that promise is all that mattered. She protected him in Ishbal and she would do it again against the Furher.

_Wish I could prove I love you_

_But does that mean I have to walk on water?_

_When we are older you'll understand_

_It's easy enough when I say so_

_And maybe some things are that simple_

Riza set her mug down on the coffee table separating her from Roy and moved over to the loveseat he was sitting on. She took the mug from his hands and they immediately latched to hers, still trembling. She wriggled one of her hands away from his grasp and gently pushed his body so that he was leaning up against her. He wrapped his free arm around her and she ran her fingers through his silky hair. She could feel his body trembling against hers and she felt her blouse become damp from where his head was buried in her chest. She kissed his head and continued to stroke his hair but he pulled away and stared into her eyes. His face was tear stained and tears continued to flow freely from his black eyes. They were begging her not to abandon him through this ordeal, to stay by him because he needed her. She smiled back at him and kissed his eyes and where he opened his eyes again, she gave him a small salute. His body stopped trembling and his eyes relaxed. He then swiftly pushed her body so it was propped up against the armrest. Riza was stunned yet thrilled as he ran his fingers through her hair, kissing her face while tears streamed down his face.

_Hold me_

_Whatever lies beyond this morning_

_Is a little later on_

_Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all_

_Nothing's like before _

"Thank you love," he whispered. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

_Hold me_

_Whatever lies beyond this morning_

_Is a little later on_

_Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all_

_Nothing's like before_


End file.
